


Give It A Whack!

by SlayerEnfiniti



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen, Humor, One percent serious work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-28
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2018-01-02 20:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlayerEnfiniti/pseuds/SlayerEnfiniti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren might be good at Titan-slaying, but he's also a master of the secret art of percussive maintenance.</p>
<p>Something broken? Give it a whack.</p>
<p>Something tangled? Give it a whack.</p>
<p>His new Captain is less than impressed with Eren's new skill.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give It A Whack!

**Author's Note:**

> Drabble for Kinkmeme!

It started a year and a week before the 104th's graduation.

“Agh!” Sasha slammed her hopelessly twisted gear down on one of the mess hall tables. The tables were mostly empty, dinner hour nearly over, and to say she was nervous was like saying Titans might be dangerous. “I'm gonna fail!” She looked down at the wreckage with teary eyes. “How am I supposed to get this undone?”

“Sasha?” Mikasa had snuck up behind her so quietly Sasha shrieked. “What's wrong?” She slid into the seat next to Sasha, carrying her dinner.

Sasha took a deep breath before spilling everything. “Mikasa! My savior! I can't get my gear to work! It's all twisted and tangled and my year-end test's tomorrow and I'm gonna fail so miserably!” 

Mikasa peered over at the pile. “Mmm. It's a bit much for me, let me go get Eren.” She stood and walked out, leaving her tray on the table next to a highly confused Sasha.

(It was inevitable that there was less food on the tray when Mikasa returned.)

Not even two minutes later, she returned with Eren in tow. Sasha stiffened and looked anywhere but at Mikasa as she guiltily scooted away from Mikasa's plate. “Oh, hey Eren.”

Eren's eyes flickered in her direction for a split second, then down to her gear. “Ah. That is a problem.”

Sasha sighed as Eren leaned down to examine the heap more closely. “I was in a rush today and it kind of ended up falling on the floor and then one of the hooks fired and now it's all just a mess. Maybe I should just ask Ymir if I can borrow her gear.” Eren peered this way and that, occasionally giving a little hum.

“No need.” Mikasa stated quietly, watching Eren. “Eren can fix it.”

“He what?” Sasha stared as Eren gingerly lifted the entire pile up. He gripped the waist strap tightly, and with a resounding THWACK he slammed it against the edge of the table. “Hey! That's not-”

“Fixed.” Eren set the somehow untangled gear in Sasha's outstretched hands, then turned on his heel and left without another word.

Sasha gaped. “How...” Mikasa shrugged, sitting back down in front of her tray. 

“It's just a talent.”

…...................................................

Three months until graduation. Their future was so close the 104th could taste it. Their mission of the day was to hike up to the lake and practice wilderness survival by staying overnight. 

However, there was one problem.

“All halt!” Shadis' voice cut across the trainees. “We've got a wagon down, everyone rest for a few minutes!” Eren and Mikasa exchanged glances, then walked back to the wagons carrying the camping supplies.

As the wagon drew within sight, so did Armin. He was arguing adamantly with his training officers, arms gesticulating wildly up and down. Eren picked up his feet a little faster.

“-least give it a shot! I realize there's no scientific backing but what could it hurt?”

“Enough. Trainee Arlert, your suggestion is out of line. There's no way it would help and it could very well damage the wagon further. You think wagons grow on trees, huh boy?” Armin flinched as Shadis loomed over him.

“I-I'm sorry sir, I know it sounds outlandish but-”

“Silence!” Eren was close enough to see tears spring to the corners of Armin's eyes.

“Sir, Armin!” Eren called. “Can I help? My mother was good at this and she taught me a few things.”

Shadis turned to him with an expression of relief. “That, Trainee, is far more sensible than what Arlert here was suggesting.” Eren took this as permission and knelt down in the mud, leaning down to peer at the bottom of the cart.

He straightened just as he heard someone behind him say, “I didn't know Eren's mom was a cartwright...”

Eren's foot connected with the back of the cart with a satisfying SLAM. Everyone except Mikasa and Armin jumped and stared. Shadis' face got red and he took a deep breath to bellow.

“Fixed, sir. Try it out.” Shadis opened his mouth, but no sound came out. A fellow trainee gingerly pulled on the cart. Eren tried to slink away, but Shadis' hand clamped down on Eren's shoulder, holding him in place.

“Sir, the cart's... fixed...” A soldier called. Eren glanced up, grinning hopefully, but Shadis' expression remained grim.

“Yeager.”

“Yessir.”

“That was extremely disrespectful to our equipment. People in the industrial towns work hard to supply us with these, they should be treated with greater respect.” Shadis let go of Eren's shoulder. “Everyone, move out!” He roared, not bothering to look behind him at the trio left behind.

Eren let out a shaky breath, grinning at Mikasa. She smiled back. He turned to Armin and stopped dead. The tears in Armin's eyes had rolled over his cheeks.

“I... I tried to tell him I could fix it... I could have, I know it...” Mikasa made a noise low in her throat.

Eren ruffled Armin's hair. “Hey. I know you could have, too. Some people just don't trust our methods, okay?” Armin sniffled.

“Yes, but he didn't even-” Mikasa's hand flashed out too fast to follow, painting a bright streak of red pain across Armin's cheek. Armin gasped, tears halting, words stopping. He stared at Mikasa with wide eyes.

“We're falling behind. Come on.” Ignoring the strange looks from the other stragglers, the three set off again.

…............................................

The day he joined the Survey Corps should have been the happiest day of his life. He should be with Armin and Mikasa, celebrating. Eren spent most of the day in a hazy state of disbelief instead.

“Oi, brat. Stop spacing out!” Captain Levi, THE Captain Levi, Humanity's Strongest Soldier and Eren's new guardian, was frowning at him. Eren blinked stupidly at him.

“Uh. Sorry, sir. What were you saying?”

Levi sighed impatiently. “I am TRYING to make sure you don't get lost in here. But you're being so airheaded I don't think you're taking in a word of this. Don't make me resort to physical persuasion again.”

Eren looked around at the communal bathroom. “Nossir. I, uh, guess not.” Eren was more than a little starstruck just by Levi's presence, but somehow he didn't think that the Captain would be too happy being told that.

“Then pay attention. I wasn't lying in the courtroom, I'm a big believer in violence solving a lot of problems. If you're a little shit, I WILL kick your ass until you wake up.” Eren was sure that was supposed to be a threat, but somehow the words made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Levi understood. Levi was just like him. “Hey, what did I just say?”

Eren grinned. “You can kick my ass any time you think I need it, sir.” Levi looked taken aback, eyes widening in disbelief. “I'll trust your judgement.”

Levi made a little hum of uncertainty. “Just... don't get lost. I don't have time to track you down.”

“Yessir!”

…............

Petra's first encounter with Mikasa was an unremarkable one in most respects. There were only so many toilets on the base, after all. Eren had talked about his sister often enough that Petra could recognize the scarf without ever having met Mikasa before.

“You're Eren's sister! I'm Petra, I'm in his squad!” 

Mikasa paused in the doorway. “Mmm.” Raising an eyebrow, she walked over to the first stall.

“Oh, that one's broken. Repair guy's going to come tomorrow for it.”

In the small space, the slam echoed around, sound multiplying until Petra thought her ears would bleed.

“Works now.” Mikasa's quiet voice was almost swallowed up by the ringing in Petra's ears.

Petra had nothing to say to that. She stood, jaw agape, staring at the closed stall door. A moment later, a flush sounded. Compared to the previous sound, it was quiet as a whisper. Mikasa reemerged.

“How... How did you...”

Mikasa lifted her scarf up to hide her smile. “Ask Eren about fixing things sometime. He's better than me.”

That night at dinner, rumors quietly began to spread.

….........................

“Eren, my gear's stuck!”

“Hey Yeager, could you help me out with my clock?”

“Private, we need to have words in my office. I have a problem suited to your... unique talents.”

Somehow Eren didn't think the last was talking about Titan shifting. “Um, I understand, sir, but I'll need to clear it with-”

“No.” Levi's rough voice broke through the babble of people that had cornered Eren as he left the bathroom. “Kid can't even take a shit in peace? Shame on you all. We've got repairmen, go bother them.”

A skinny blonde in the front stood strong under Levi's glare. “Eren's faster and more reliable, sir!”

“Tough shit. He's also mine. Come on, Eren.” Levi turned on his heel and forcibly yanked Eren out of the mob.

“Yeh-Yessir!”

A few minutes later, Levi and Eren were walking down a dark hall, blissfully alone. Levi's boots tapped out a sharp rhythm against the stone. “You're too useful, Eren.”

“Sir?”

Levi rubbed his forehead. “Titan shifter, top five in your class with gear, and all-around fix-it man? It's too much. I got a petition from our repair workers today. You know what it said?”

Eren shook his head, hair flopping around awkwardly and falling in an eye. “Nossir.”

“You're putting them out of business. No one wants to pay for their services when you do it for free.” Levi rubbed his forehead harder. “Shit, this is such a mess.”

“Do you have a headache, sir?” Eren asked a little too innocently.

“Yeah, something you can't fix.” Levi paused, shooting a glare up at the taller soldier. “Or...”

Eren gave him a bright smile.

“Oh hell no.”

“It'll only hurt for a moment, sir. Much better than putting up with it all day.”

“No no no no.”

“You'll be able to focus better, too. Think clearer.”

“Hell. No.”

“But siiiiiir-”

“No buts! No! Don't get any closer!”

“Close your eyes.”

“I SAID NO!”

SLAP.

That night, news spread like wildfire that Eren had been forbidden from doing anything not directly related to Titans. Much groaning was heard, but a furious Captain with a bright red cheek stamped out all protests.


End file.
